Day Off In Coimbra

 View of the Mondego River 

Statue of the prime minister who in 1834 shut down all the city's convents and monasteries.  They called him the "friar killer".

 John on the University grounds 

 King John III 

 Delicious break

 You must try the Ginjinha! 

Some offerings at the local super market.  Yum.

Got up to the breakfast provided by the hotel for 3€ each and took off to do Rick Steve's walking tour. I didn't feel so conspicuous as a tourist when I noticed everyone else standing around reading various guidebooks.  In the Iglesia Santa Cruz,  with the beautiful facade which has been electrified to keep the pigeons off,  we heard part of a beautiful mass. The singing from the choir, the chanting of the priests, and the sound of the massive organ were truly awe inspiring.  Neither of us could hold back the tears.  We felt so miniscule in the reverence of that holy place.

We toured and learned about the University of Coimbra,  the Oxford of Europe.  We also learned about the educated 20th century dictator,  Salazar and his rule over Portugal. We passed through the Gate to the Medina,  named by the Moors,  where soldiers used holes in the ceiling to pour through boiling oil on would be attackers below.  Nice!

Stopped and tried a wonderful refreshing sangria and a Ginjinha, a popular Portuguese liquor made of cherries.  Very sweet and delicious!   Craving something other than meat, we stopped for pizza and spaghetti bolognaise, which kinda reminds me of Cincinnati chili.  Traditional dishes always taste different in other countries. Back to the hotel for a restful nap and back out late for a dinner in a quaint narrow street where John had so so pork and I tried Coimbra's signature dish, chanfana, which is goat cooked in wine.  It was interesting,  I'll put it that way.  We chatted with a couple of Australians on vacation,  and met two Swedes walking to Santiago like us. Very nice people. Maybe we'll see them again.  Pilgrim traffic is definitely picking up the farther north we go. Off to bed and up early for an easy stage of 14.9 miles.  At least it's not 20!